When two people have a child, both parents must support them. However, determining a child’s paternity is often complicated. This could be because a father does not want to help or because a mother is trying to keep a father from exercising his parental rights. At the Law Offices of Ronald K. Stitch, we understand paternity complications. Our Thousand Oaks paternity attorney will get to work on your case today.
Why does paternity matter
Paternity is vital in matters of child support, child custody, and visitation. In California, both parents are required to support their children in the event of divorce or separation. However, there are also times when parents have no standing relationship. Even if two parents barely know each other, they have rights and obligations for their children.
Establishing paternity is suitable for the child in the long run. It opens up their access to both parents’ health insurance, medical records, and Social Security benefits based on the father’s earnings record.
If two parents are married when a child is born, the husband is presumed to be the biological father by law. If two parents are not married, the father can still claim paternity.
What problems can arise
Issues usually arise when a father refuses to accept responsibility for a child to avoid paying support or when a mother denies a parent his custody and visitation rights. In these situations, you may have to work with the family court system to get a court-ordered DNA test to prove paternity. This process can become complicated, but a skilled Thousand Oaks paternity attorney will understand how to help you through this.
What if the husband is not the biological father
There are instances when a married couple has a child, but the husband is not the biological father. In these cases, biology only sometimes takes precedence over parental rights. In these situations, the husband may or may not know that the child is not his biological, and he will be presumed to be the legal father. In a divorce, the husband will be responsible for child support. He will have custody and visitation rights unless it has been less than two years since the child’s birth and the biological father has petitioned the court for a paternity test.
We can help ensure you are treated fairly
Regardless of why you need to establish paternity for a child, it would be best to seek assistance from an attorney. At the Law Offices of Ronald K. Stitch, we thoroughly understand family law, including paternity issues. We aim to ensure that you are treated fairly and that a child’s interests are considered. Our Thousand Oaks paternity attorneys are ready to work on your behalf today. You can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 818-707-0202.
